PANAJI
Around 361 Drishti lifeguards, who went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday, were arrested on Wednesdsay at around 12 p.m. by Panaji town police station under Section 151 CrPC and were released later in the evening by 5 p.m.
The striking lifeguards were detained for over five hours at Azad Maidan after the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA) was invoked on Tuesday evening by the government.
Speaking to The Goan, All India Trade Union Congress secretary, Suhas Naik, said, " ESMA cannot be applied to contract and private workers. Yet, the government has acted in a dictatorial manner."
The strike, he added, will continue. The lifeguards are now likely to protest before Paryatan Bhavan on Thursday.
Around 650 lifeguards are protesting the failure of the Department of Tourism and Labour in resolving their long-pending issues, and to re-employ 17 victimised lifeguards whose services were terminated in 2014 by Drishti management.
